Flexing Freelance Muscles

Even in tough times, freelancers can leverage their flexibility and low overhead to succeed

NOBODY said graphic design was a recession-proof business. Clients often cut their marketing budgets in times of economic crisis as they try to reduce expenditures to help weather the storm. As those budgets get trimmed, so too does the revenue of the design community as a whole. As some larger shops and internal departments reduce their staff, freelancing becomes a reality for more and more designers. Here’s how freelancers can not only survive but also thrive in difficult economic conditions.

In-house Survival Guide

Are you left out of strategic planning sessions? Here’s how to get a seat at the table

IN-HOUSE designers generally fall into two distinct camps: those who enjoy a wonderful relationship with their firm and are given creative and strategic control over communications initiatives to build and support the parent brand and those who, well, don’t.

Working creatively in a corporate structure can be like working in a foreign country. Surrounded by people who don’t speak the language of design or understand how designers think, creatives are often singled out as those people with the fancy flat screens, dark circles under their eyes and Elvis bobble-heads. But wouldn’t you like to be recognized for your contribution to the company’s bottom line rather than your creative workspace?